The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-04-29
OLD CURIOSITY SHOP.
A PLACE FULL OF STRANGE AND
VALUABLE ARTICLES.

VALUABLE ARTICLES.
Paintings Worth Tortune-Alexandcr
Hamilton's Dueiing Pistols-A South
erner's Mistalse-.A Package Of Din.
monds-story of u Photograph.
eyes, I have received many curious and
antique articles since began business thirty
five years ago." said Robert Taggart to re-
porter the other day. Mr.. Taggart is a pio-
neer III tho storage business and his establish
ment is filled with old objects, each OF which
has an interesting history.
snow, amonga vast collection Of fine paint
ings which I got in the course Of bust
ness" continued Mr.. Taggart, fare two
which have been told time and again are
originals by Rubens One represents the
alteration Of the Saviour in the stable Of
Bethlehem. The subject Of the other I do
not know, as have never met any ono who
could tell me. There is an inscription on this
picture III one Of the dead languages, I be-
ieve, because have never been able to find
any one learned enough to translate it. The
picture represents queen on magnificent
throne giving orders apparently to some Of
the royal guards"
"How did you become possessed Of the
pictures" asked the reporter.
"The day the first gun was fired at Fort
Sumter gentleman who was very well
known here then and hated equally as well
for his avowed sympathy with the southern
cause came into my place and told me he in
tended going south and aiding the Confeder-
ates with his money and every way else he
could He asked me to take his household
furniture on storage.
"You won't have to keep them long," he
said. The south will win sure, and I'll re-
turn to New York, for can't live anywhere
else.'
NEVER CALLED FOR.
II took his furniture. but it has never been
called for. He raised regiment south and
fell at Bull Run with his two sons at his side.
He had no near relatives to mourn his loss and
SO have his furniture still. The Rubenses
were among his chattels and also picture of
Murillo, for which hadbeen offered $780, 200.
There is practically no price on theRubenses.
Besides these pictures mentioned 1 have as
fine gallery of paintings as any connoisseur
would wish to look at. have always been
fond Of pictures and never tried to dispose of
any of them, although some OF them would
bring fabulous prices"
Among other articles which Mr.. Taggart
showed to the reporter was pair of beauti-
full ducling pistols irlaid with solid gold and
silver, which are the ones, MI. Taggart says,
used by Alexander Hamilton in his deadly
encounter with Burr on the Elysian fields
where Weehawken is now growing up. The
pistols were once owned by Gen. Grant, but
they passed from him to another branch of
the family, and finally came into the posses
sion Of Broadway jeweler, who is unfor-
tunatcly addicted to drink. During one Of
his periodical sprees he placed the pistols,
with some other property, on storage with
Mr. Taggart in order to raise money enough
to continue his debauch. He never called for
the weapons and the mans wife wants them
sold, as she says she hates to see them lying
around the house when her husband is on
SPREE .....ss---...-s
About two months ago" said Mr.. Tag
CART, = q well dressed middle aged man came
into my place and, handing me small
chamois bag, asked me how much I would
ask to keep it for him for day or two with
o.tt eys.nining the contents. 'Twennv-iive
cents, replied.
AN OUTRAGEOUS PRICE.
swell, sir, the fellow kicked like mule |
Ee sworc he wouldn't pay such en- outrageous |
price, and finally beat me down to twenty !
cents for two days. Nextday detective from
the Central Office came in looking for such |
bag, and told ne the fellow who had left it
with me was famous western crook and
that he had hi~locked up in the Tombs. l
went down there with the bag, which was
opened in presence Of the judge and found to
contain diamonds valued at nearly 800 900.
1t surprised Ele that man wishing and think
ing he eould safely conceal such q plumber
would kick about the cost, especially when
you consider the little asked him.
@Oh, this is the saddest thing 1 ever recol-
ect," continued Mr. Taggart, as he showed
lie reporter photograph of laughing, fresh
aced, curly haired girl. "She came into my
place one day about two years ago and put
ew little effects in storage. Next morning
he jumped from ferryboat into the North
liver. When her body was recovered my re-
,eipt for her furniture was all that was found
m her. buried her and then proceeded to
race her history. 1t was the old story. She
vas the darling daughter of curate il a
title country town in the north of the state.
city stranger met and wooed her secretly
md she finally consented to elope with him.
When they came to this city he deceived her
urther by mock marriage, and when he
nally deserted her she found out that lie was
amber Then she determined to kill herself
Ter sad end, which could not help telling
er father and mother, broke their poor old
carts and they soon followed her to the other
,orld"
Among many other curious things which
Ir. Taggart has are skeletons, collins, grand
athers' clocks, horses sheep, cows, in fact all
inds of animals and fowl, and as a curiosity
mop in every respect his place cannot be
York Journal Interview. ,
Few Know What They Drink. s
aft ic n fact said a. Somawhot famous